Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Caught napping

A scrap shop owner enjoys his afternoon nap at Elphinstone Road (Prabhadevi), in Mumbai.

A shared sky

The Together We Fly quilt

The Corona Quilt Project that voices our shared experience of the pandemic, has launched its sixth edition with a quilt that's like a sky overturned. Called Together We Fly, it is the largest hand-stitched community quilt in Asia. "The pattern of a flock of birds in flight underlines the essence of unity and freedom," shared project head Neha Modi. The work that is 280-ft wide and 90-ft high, took over six months to create. Interdisciplinary artist Dia Mehhta Bhupal curated it and it is currently being presented at the Zydus Headquarters in Ahmedabad.

Neha Modi

Woof, what an idea

Kaalu is a stray puppy who suffered serious fractures when an autorickshaw ran over him a few weeks ago. The folks at YODA - Animal Rehab Centre in Khar have been treating him since then. However, we're told that little Kaalu will take a little more than our prayers to heal, and so dog trainer and canine behaviourist Shirin Merchant is organising a paw-some fundraiser called Tailhouse Rock at Parsi Colony on December 12, where musician Rustom Warden will perform for pooches and their parents. Priya Agarwal, co-founder, YODA, shared, "Kaalu is under medication and care, but we need more funds to get him back in shape soon. People can help with funds or contribute to his diet. The event is a way to also raise awareness, as Kaalu will soon need a home. All the proceeds from will go towards his treatment."

Usha Uthup's back with a track

If there is one evergreen Indian musician, it's Usha Uthup. The singer has been wowing audiences for 50-odd years, first gaining recognition in Kolkata's Park Street back in the 1970s. She has performed relentlessly ever since, doing not just live shows, but also lending her voice for Bollywood hits as far apart as Koi yahan nache from Disco Dancer in 1982, and Darling from Saat Khoon Maaf in 2011. She is now releasing a new single, for which she has collaborated with Colin D'Cruz of Jazz Goa. The track is called Wokay, and will premiere on Jazz Goa's social media platforms on December 10. Uthup told this diarist that it is a blues number that stresses on the importance of feeling good. "Colin is such an innovative and brilliant musician, and since I had already worked with him earlier on a Konkani song called Eke raatcho mog, I readily said yes when he asked me if I'll do another one," she shared.

When trash turns into treasure

A plastic installation by Aaditi Joshi

The transparency of plastic has amused city-based artist Aaditi Joshi since childhood. "I'd stare at vegetables wrapped in plastic at the Nana Chowk bazaar," she said. With her video artwork, Suffocation, making it to the exhibition titled Oil. Beauty and Horror in the Petrol Age at the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg in Germany, she shared her process. Joshi has been using plastic as a medium for long, but she became aware of its horrifying consequences after the Mumbai floods. Suffocation shines a light on how aquatic animals choke on plastic. "I covered myself in plastic and recorded it to make people try and imagine what aquatic lives suffer on a regular basis."

What's in a name?

A reader informs this diarist of a name change that could seem confusing. The Khar Police Station got a new name board where the English word "station" was replaced with the Hindi/Marathi word "Thane". In English, Thane also reminds us of the suburb Thane and Debasish Chakraverty, who sent the picture alongside, said, "It looks like there are two place names on the board". He wonders if the Thane Police Station board reads: Thane Police Thane.